Sputtering Offense, Costly Miscues the Key in Auburn's Loss at Oklahoma

Auburn had plenty of opportunities in its loss to Oklahoma to open SEC play.

Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze and his Tigers could not rise to the occasion against Oklahoma. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

If you strip away the veneer of serious talent infusion, the Auburn Tigers played like every other Hugh Freeze team in its 24-17 loss at Oklahoma.

In a big moment, they did not rise to the occasion, and ultimately playcalling and a lack of execution cost them in what could have been a statement game. To paraphrase the late NFL head coach Dennis Green, Auburn is who many thought they were. The question is, will that change this season?

Final from Norman.@Golden_Flake | #WarEagle pic.twitter.com/doIvh2bnKA

— Auburn Football (@AuburnFootball) September 20, 2025

Sputtering Offense

Jackson Arnold had a chance to stand on a national stage and prove the naysayers wrong. Now, people will want to blame the offensive futility strictly upon the offensive line. However, when he was given ample time, Arnold did not pull the trigger.

Whether it was a separation issue or he didn't like what he saw, you can't place all the blame on the line when you are given time. For as poorly as the offensive line played, you must credit Oklahoma defensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo. His ability to mix and match packages keeps Auburn guessing all day. Zero adjustments and the appearance of looking bewildered and lost.

"Throughout the week, we emphasized being positive on first and second down. Some drives we did really well and some drives we didn't do well." - Auburn QB Jackson Arnold after the loss at Oklahoma in which the Sooners set a new program record with 10 sacks pic.twitter.com/pc44b6cfnc

— The Next Round (@NextRoundLive) September 21, 2025

Why?

Hugh Freeze decided to throw in a gadget play at a crucial point in a game, and people bellyache about a missed pass interference call. First, no official is going to throw a flag in that situation to bail out an atrocious play call.

In no world should a coach call for a trick play and hope that he finds a flag. In the offseason, the three-headed offensive coordinator group of Freeze, Derrick Nix, and Kent Austin was a main topic. In this case, three heads are better than none. That play is indicative that no matter how talented Auburn is on offense, the propensity to be critically unserious hurts the team.

"Missed Calls"

If you scroll social media, there are people lined up wanting to make excuses for why the Tigers lost. Plain and simple, Oklahoma played better. John Mateer is a far better quarterback than Arnold with receivers that are not half as talented.

Two things can be true at once. The officiating was criminal, but Auburn hurt itself on missed throws and penalties. Missed opportunities haunted them.

— Darrell Dapprich (@dapp6410) September 20, 2025

You can have a Ferrari in the garage, but if your driver can't make the turns, all you have is a very expensive paperweight just idling. From a talent and ceiling level, Arnold looks miles ahead of Peyton Thorne. Yet, some of the same playcalling and situational awareness plague the offense. It makes you wonder if it was the quarterback or the playcallers that could not seem to get it right when it mattered most.

Big Picture

Granted, this is just one loss for Auburn. However, the way they lost is eerily reminiscent of failures of the recent past. Half to a bowl eligibility is not enough for what the program invested in Freeze's vision. Now, can he justify the funding and start winning big games?